Read on for an introduction to the two journalists who have just won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.
Meet Maria Ressa
Maria Ressa is a Filipino-American investigative journalist who runs Rappler.
Ressa is an advocate for freedom of speech and a vocal critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
Jonas Gahr Støre, leader of Norway’s Labor Party, nominated Ressa for the peace prize.
“Exposing abuse of power”
Ressa uses freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, violence, and authoritarian rule in her home country of the Philippines, the Nobel Committee wrote. She has been arrested several times.
In 2012, she co-founded the website Rappler, a media house for investigative journalism, which she continues to lead.
Rappler has focused critically on the Duterte regime’s controversial “war on drugs.”
Ressa and Rappler have further documented how social media is used to spread fake news, harass dissidents, and manipulate public discourse.
Meet Dmitry Muratov
Dmitry Andreyevich Muratov is a Russian Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. Novaya Gazeta is a source of information including little-discussed and objectionable aspects of Russian society.
The newspaper writes, among other things, about state corruption and human rights violations.
“Defending freedom of speech”
Muratov has, for many years, defended freedom of expression in Russia under increasingly demanding conditions, according to the Nobel Committee.
In 1993, he co-founded the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta. Since 1995, he has been the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief – for a total of 24 years.
Since its inception in 1993, Novaya Gazeta has published critical articles on everything from corruption, police violence, unlawful arrests, electoral fraud, and “magic factories,” to the use of Russian military forces inside and outside Russia.
Source: ©️ NTB Scanpix / #NorwayTodayTravel / NobelPrize.org
Do you have a news tip for Norway Today? We want to hear it. Get in touch at [email protected]
Leave a comment